1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connection sensor and short-circuiting contact for a pair of connectors used for connecting wire harnesses of an automobile or the like, the connection sensor and short-circuiting contact having a means for sensing complete connection of the pair of connectors.
2. Related Art
In FIGS. 8 and 9, reference character A denotes a male connector housing; and B, a female connector housing. Each connector housing is molded using a synthetic resin material.
As is well known, the male connector housing A has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers 1 to allow a female terminal fitting C to be inserted thereinto and retained therein. Similarly, the female connector housing B has a plurality of terminal accommodating chambers (not shown) to allow a male terminal fitting D to be inserted thereinto and retained therein.
A cantilevered flexible lock arm 3 having a rising base portion 3a at a front end thereof extends rearward in a recessed portion 2 on the upper surface of the male connector housing A. A lock protuberance 3b is arranged on the upper surface in a middle portion of the flexible lock arm 3 and unlock press operation portions 3c are arranged on the free end thereof. An engagement frame portion 5 corresponding to the flexible lock arm 3 but also a retaining opening 5a corresponding to the lock protuberance 3b are arranged in a middle portion of the front end of an upper wall 4 of the female connector housing B.
The aforementioned construction is generally known. When the male and female connector housings A, B are engaged with each other, the female and male terminal fittings C, D come in contact with each other and, at this instance, the flexible lock arm 3 is flexibly displaced downward into a displacement allowing space R provided therebelow by the lock protuberance 3b thereof colliding against the engagement frame portion 5, and thereafter returns to its original position by the lock protuberance 3b having reached the retaining opening 5a, so that complete connection of the male and female connector housings is accomplished.
Reference numeral 6 denotes a connection sensing contact, which has a resilient contact portion 6b erected at one end of a main plate portion 6a through a folded portion 6', and a tab-like male terminal portion 6c that extends rearward at the other end of the main plate portion 6a through a folded portion 6" that is folded in a direction opposite to that of the resilient contact portion 6b. A pair of connection sensing contacts 6, 6 are fixed by causing the folded portions 6' thereof to be fitted with the recessed portion 2 as well as an end portion of a compartment wall 8 between the terminal accommodating chambers 1', 1' neighboring the recessed portion 2. As a result, the pair of resilient contact portions 6b, 6b are erected within the displacement allowing space R so as to confront the free end portion of the flexible lock arm 3. The tab-like male terminal portions 6c, 6c are fixed rearward within the terminal accommodating chambers 1', 1'. The ordinary female terminal fittings C are connected to the tab-like male terminal portions 6c, 6c, so that a sensing circuit is formed.
Reference numeral 7 denotes an inverted U-shaped short-circuiting contact made of a resilient metal plate. The short-circuiting contact 7 has outwardly extending folded portions 7b, 7b at both leg portions 7a, 7a thereof. The short-circuiting contact 7 is fixed while fitted with confronting plate portions 5b, 5b of the engagement frame 5.
In the aforementioned construction, if the male and female connector housings A, B are connected incompletely, the free end portion of the flexible lock arm 3 not only displaces itself downward, but also forcibly displaces the resilient contact portions 6b, 6b of the connection sensing contacts 6, 6 downward as shown in FIG. 9(b). As a result, the contact of the short-circuiting contact 7 with the resilient contact portions 6b, 6b is broken, which makes the sensing electric circuit inoperable.
When the male and female connector housings A, B are connected completely, the flexible lock arm 3 returns to the original position thereof to cause the resilient contact portions 6b, 6b of the connection sensing contacts 6, 6 to return to the original position thereof as shown in FIG. 9(c), so that the resilient contact portions 6b, 6b come in contact with the short-circuiting contact 7 to thereby activate the sensing electric circuit.
In the aforementioned conventional art, a pair of connection sensing contacts are arranged in the male connector housing having the flexible lock arm and the short-circuiting contact is arranged in the female connector housing. Additionally, a pair of terminal fittings are connected to the connection sensing contacts in the male connector housing. Therefore, the construction of the connection sensor is complicated.